ROCHESTER, N.Y. — One second left. One spectacular kick save. One season saved.
Robert Morris defeated Mercyhurst, 5-4, in overtime of the Atlantic Hockey semifinal round. All thanks to sophomore goaltender, Francis Marotte.
“How about the save he made with one second left in the game?” Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley coach asked rhetorically. “That’s a season saver right there. We don’t have a chance to win that game in overtime if he doesn’t make that save.”
First Robert Morris had to score with 45 seconds left in regulation with their goalie pulled and a Mercyhurst player in the box for too many men.
Brady Ferguson completed his hat trick with that tally.
Then, with time running out, Mercyhurst had one last rush. Deep in the zone, a quick cross-ice pass found Kane Elliot wide open with Marotte desperately moving from left post to right post. Elliot quickly one-timed a shot that appeared to be going in. Out of nowhere, Marotte’s leg pads kicked it away.
“We were trying to score with eight seconds left in that neutral zone and took a big chance,” Schooley explained. “Next thing you know he makes that massive save.”
It wasn’t clear sailing for Marotte initially.
Mercyhurst scored with 51 seconds left in the opening period with a high shot by Elliot that appeared to handcuff Marotte.
“I think the first one he probably would like back,” Schooley said.
Ferguson came back with two goals in the second to give the Colonials a 2-1 lead after two.
Taylor Best tied the game in the third, putting in a rebound from the slot.
Then, after a tight checking game, goals came fast and furious.
Robert Morris retook the lead after constant pressure when Daniel Mantenuto finally shot it in from the slot.
Fourteen seconds later, Derek Barach sent a knuckler towards Marotte that fooled him.
Schooley said, “It kind of fluttered. Our guy went to catch it and double clutched at it.”
Seventy seconds later Mercyhurst took their first lead since the first period with a banked shot off Marotte from behind the net by Joseph Duszak.
That lead lasted till Ferguson’s game equalizer.
“Obviously, it felt good,” Ferguson said. “We had this happen to us freshman year.”
That’s when Mercyhurst scored a late goal and then won it in overtime.
That was Ferguson’s 18th goal of the season and 66th of his career. He also is the first Colonial to hit the century mark in assists with 101.
“Scorers like that don’t come around very often,” Schooley said. “Last year in the semis here, he had three goals as well. He has risen to the occasion.”
The overtime goal was a bit unconventional. Michael Louria just replaced an injured player behind the Lakers’ defense. A long pass to spring him loose just missed.
The play appeared to be over.
“I knew the boards were bouncy in a pro rink,” Louria said. “I just caught it off the [back] boards, trying to stay onsides.”
Picking up the carom left Louria alone with the goalie. He went to his backhand to slip it past Brandon Wildung at 6:42.
“Congratulations to Robert Morris,” Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin said. “They found a way to win a tight, back-and-forth game. At the end of the day, when you get to overtime, anything can happen.”
“We’re excited to be advancing,” Schooley said. Robert Morris will face the winner of the Canisius-Air Force game for the Atlantic Hockey championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.
All thanks to a save with one second left.
“He’s won a lot of hockey games for us in two years,” Schooley said. “He made some huge saves. Not anyone bigger than the one with one second left. A season saver. We’re in tears if he doesn’t flash that save.”
